Power of the Dragonflame

韦奕 (Wéi Yì) – Lázaro Bruzón Batista
6th Hǎinán Dānzhōu Super GM Chess Tournament; 儋州 (Dānzhōu), July 3, 2015
Sicilian Defence B85

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. Be2 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. Nxd4 Qc7 7. 0-0 Nf6 8. Be3 Be7 9. f4 d6 10. Kh1 0-0 11. Qe1 Nxd4 12. Bxd4 b5 13. Qg3 Bb7 14. a3 Rad8 15. Rae1 Rd7 16. Bd3 Qd8 17. Qh3 g6 18. f5 e5 19. Be3 Re8 20. fxg6! A straightforward move by 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) which turns out to be much more to the point than the “unimaginative” 20. Qf3 as in the game Alekseev – Jumabayev, 9th Ugra Governor’s Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk 2013. 20. ... hxg6? More prudent would have been 20. ... fxg6, although after 21. a4! White retains the initiative.

21. Nd5!! The beginning of a deep “bolt from the blue” combination! 21. ... Nxd5 22. Rxf7!! Kxf7. Black cannot refuse the gift, for if 22. ... Nf6 there follows 23. Qe6 and White wins. 23. Qh7+ Ke6 24. exd5+ Kxd5. Equally after 24. ... Bxd5 25. Bxg6 White’s attack is irresistible. 25. Be4+!! Another terrific shot! 25. ... Kxe4. Not 25. ... Kc4 26. Qf7+ d5 27. Bd3 mate. If, instead, 25. ... Ke6 then 26. Qxg6+ Bf6 27. Qf5+ with an overwhelming attack for White. 26. Qf7. All chess engines recommend 26. c4! Kd3 (or 26. ... bxc4 27. Qxg6+ Kd5 28. Qf7+ Ke4 29. Qxc4+ Kf5 30. Rf1+ Kg6 31. Qf7 mate) 27. Qxg6+ which would lead to mate in short order. But the text move is also good enough! 26. ... Bf6 27. Bd2+ Kd4 28. Be3+ Ke4 29. Qb3!! This move is the only one to win! 29. ... Kf5 30. Rf1+ Kg4 31. Qd3 Bxg2+. Desperation, for if 31. ... Rg7 then 32. h3+ Kh4 (else 32. ... Kg3 33. Bg5+ and mate next move) 33. Kh2! finis. 32. Kxg2 Qa8+ 33. Kg1 Bg5 34. Qe2+ Kh4 35. Bf2+ Kh3 36. Be1! 1 : 0. 韦奕 (Wéi Yì) puts the final touch on his magnificent attacking game!

韦奕 (Wéi Yì)
Photo: sports.sina.com.cn